Fuel cell fabrication using photopolymer based processes

Abstract

A fuel cell component is provided, including a substrate disposed adjacent at least one radiation-cured flow field layer. The flow field layer is one of disposed between the substrate and a diffusion medium layer, and disposed on the diffusion medium layer opposite the substrate. The flow field layer has at least one of a plurality of reactant flow channels and a plurality of coolant channels for the fuel cell. The fuel cell component may be assembled as part of a repeating unit for a fuel cell stack. A method for fabricating the fuel cell component and the associated repeating unit for the fuel cell is also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A fuel cell component, comprising:
 a substrate; 
 at least one flow field layer disposed adjacent the substrate, the flow field layer having at least one of a plurality of radiation-cured reactant flow channels and a plurality of radiation-cured coolant channels for the fuel cell; and 
 at least one diffusion medium layer having a microtruss structure, wherein the flow field layer is one of disposed between the substrate and the diffusion medium layer and disposed on the diffusion medium layer opposite the substrate. 
 
     
     
       2. The fuel cell component of  claim 1 , wherein the microtruss structure includes a plurality of first truss elements extending along a first direction, a plurality of second truss elements extending along a second direction, and a plurality of third truss elements extending along a third direction, wherein the first, second, and third truss elements interpenetrate each other at a plurality of nodes to form a substantially continuous, three-dimensional self-supporting structure. 
     
     
       3. The fuel cell component of  claim 1 , wherein the flow field layer includes a plurality of first channel walls extending along one direction, wherein the first channel walls form the reactant flow channels. 
     
     
       4. The fuel cell component of  claim 3 , wherein the flow field layer includes a plurality of second channel walls extending along another direction, wherein the first and second channel walls interpenetrate each other at a plurality of junctions to form the reactant flow channels and the coolant channels. 
     
     
       5. The fuel cell component of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the diffusion medium layer and the flow field layer have an electrically conductive coating. 
     
     
       6. The fuel cell component of  claim 1 , wherein the flow field layer includes a plurality of support ligaments defined by a plurality of self-propagating polymer ligament waveguides, the support ligaments disposed between the channel walls and one of the substrate and the diffusion medium layer, the support ligaments militating against a flexing of the first and second channel walls. 
     
     
       7. The fuel cell component of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of first channel walls is defined by a plurality of first self-propagating polymer wall waveguides, and the plurality of second channel walls is defined by a plurality of second self-propagating polymer wall waveguides. 
     
     
       8. The fuel cell component of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one diffusion medium layer includes a first diffusion medium layer and a second diffusion medium layer, and the at least one flow field layer includes a first flow field layer and a second flow field layer, wherein the substrate is disposed between the first and second flow field layers, the substrate and the first and second flow field layers disposed between the first and second diffusion medium layers, each of the diffusion medium layers having a microporous layer disposed thereon, and each of the microporous layers having an electrode applied thereto opposite the diffusion medium layer, wherein one of the electrodes has a polymer electrolyte membrane disposed thereon. 
     
     
       9. The fuel cell component of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one diffusion medium layer includes a first diffusion medium layer and a second diffusion medium layer, and the at least one flow field layer includes a first flow field layer having a plurality of electrically conductive walls formed by coating an electrically conductive material on a plurality of removable cores, wherein the substrate is integral with the first flow field layer and the first flow field layer is disposed between the first and second diffusion medium layers, wherein one of the diffusion medium layers has a membrane electrode assembly disposed thereon.